Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-08-16
OXFORD COUNTY HORSE NOTES.

Il =
ago . very readable article from the
South Backfi.ld correspondent. in reply to
wha, we wrote In regard TO farmers max.
ing horse breeding . specially. We
wrote what we did. not for the purpose
Of engaging 10 personal Argumen. with
the redoubisble South Baekhsld, whoever
he may be. ba, who displays such powers
OF argument. that. had he any grounds
upon which to base bis argument, he
would doubtless speedily vanquish the
humble writer Of HOre Notes. We
wrote wha, we did in answer TO his frs,
article. for the reason that be voiced the
sentiments Of great many farmer read
ers Of this paper. who. although having
q natural love for horses. have RETAINED
from breeding them 10 any considerable
extent, They have done 50 from having
paid too much heed TO the traditions Of the
elders, which the correspondent voices.
aud which for many years have maintain.
ed iha, the breeding and handling OF
horses il fraushI with risk. both peeun.
iarlly. aud morally. sni have not realized
the grea, change that has taken place IN
regard 10 horse breeding. a' compared TO
other branehe. OF flaming. within the pas;
ten OF fifteen years. We will not weary
our readers With another long sermon on
,hi, subject. ba, viii merely call s''en.
tioa TO one or two points made by the
eloquent champion Of the risky bovines.
The piih OF the matter Ia his frsi
article. a, We understood twas that far too
many farmers were making too much OF
q specially Of col, raising. aud were thus
producing TOO many iafsfior animals,
and also growing poorer ia pocket; and
he thought ,hs, every farmer oash. 10
keep yoke of oxen. 10 bis next article
after giving the subject more thought,
he qualities bis former statement
sOmswha,, bat s,ill mliniiin, tha, not
one in twen,y who make horse breeding
q specially. succeeds. lie admits 'h.,
the natural bora, dyed.in.ihe'wool, yard
vide. double aud twisted horeman
should engage in the horse business, as
|, !. called, ba, IL !, supposed that none
cf this class were ever boarn on q farm.
For those who raise colts q, all, he
advocates tha, great paIns be taken 10
sslec, the be., OF breeding stock, both
stations aud mare, and eoaduet u on
systematic plan. Thi, is jas, night, ani
the only rish, way; bat IN order to 90
thi. way, dossa'i |. require tha, man
makes something Of a specially OF u
lie also refers TO persons whose name.
we mentioned q, successful hofsemen' and
ask. a, nj Il fair TO mention the success
fal one, aud say nothing sboa, the iau'
ures. IL would no, be. Of course, but
IL any one will refer to my article, he
will see At once that those successful
breeders were mentioned TO prove that
the inferior horses were 40, ral'ed' As
he claimed. by those who made
speciality Of horse breeding, but BY those
who do not. The parties named prove
nothing either way s regards the prom"
Of the business
We will say ,hi. for the bensfi OF 50.
Baekfsld: Although our knowlsdse oi
the world Is comparatively limited YET
Tor the pas, fifteen years we have made
the breeding question 'pecia! study
both by observation and reading and we
have ye. 10 find one solitary farmer
who, possessing the ability. enterprise
and jadgmen. to succeed in any branch
Of ha,bsndry, and having a taste io'
horses, has made |, the Leading special
~ Of his farm, has ever failed. either
pecuniarily or morally, BY reason OF the
srea, risks attending the business, or
from any fAal, Of the business itself
We do know hopemen among the Tar.
msn ,ha, are poor and have failed, and
whose farms are mor,gased. The fact
,h., South Baekfeld knows OF such men
proves nothing. Doesn', be know OF farm
er. hundreds Of them, who don'' raise
colts to any extent. who are poor and
whose farm. are mOr,gaged' II he
knows Of no such. I can show him some'
anil no, scour around much either.
The fac, Is. the moment = farmer
engaged In raising and handling horses.
get. in deb, or becomes any embarrassed
for money, 4. Is al laid to the horse ba'i'
mesa A hundred men engaged in other
branches Of farming. or in mercantile
pursuits, may ge, equally in debt. aud
nothing /, said about the business, but
rather they lacked judgment, OF lived be-
yond their means. or were un!aeky. OF
something Of ,h., sort. lfAmsn raises
a col. or buys him low. and alter while
/, offered two thousand dollars Tor him.
but reiures |, and keeps him us'il he
do.sn, realize by els. Is ths, the fault OF
the horse business. OF !, 1t the iAaI' OF
the man.
On the other hand. we could call the
names Of several farmers whose farms
were mor,gaged only a few year, ago,
bu, who have. by making something o'
q speciality Of raising some good eol,s'
paid off the mortgage, snd are no" 10
comfortable circumstances, aud who will
and have acknowledged that had they
engaged In any other branch OF farming
they would still be heavily in debt.
i,sa fac. ,hs, very few farmers have
as ys, had the courage to make horse
breeding the leading feature Of their
farming, and any one can readily see'
South Backfeld to the contrary notwiih.
standing, that there are no figures 10
show jus, wha, percentage have failed
and what succeeded. The results In one
dis,ric. or one town prove nothing. tor
one swallow does no, make SUMMER.
As we said before, II man cares
nothing for horses. he will do better s'
something else. But there are great
many natural horsemen on farms engaged
in rearing cattle, who, II !, were not for
fear OF the risk. In colts. which are 10
reality no greater than In raising crops
might meet with much greater success
in ihs, line. especially II they would iol'
low the advice Of South Baekfeld 10 re-
card 10 breeding. which Is correct.
or course IL . man should commence
too large Ia his breeding operations,
keeping no stock but horses. and pay ns
hardly any attention TO bis farm. he
- ts..l. - al.